QCC Farms!QCC Farms! is an Urban Agriculture Project designed to engage low-wealth city residents in raising organically grown vegetables in underutilized green spaces, while providing nutritional and environmental education. In
addition to our flagship Sixth Street and Monticello Ave
Garden of Goodness, we have also established a raised bed garden at
Barrett Early Learning Center on Ridge Street, and
QCC Farms! West, on West Street in the 10th and Page neighborhood just behind Region Ten's Jim Peterson Center.
Our Goals:
Improve the physical health of low-wealth residents, particularly seniors and children with limited access to quality produce, information on healthy eating and lifestyles, and physical benefits of gardening;
Enhance the environmental health of the community by creating a productive organic farm as well as an aesthetically-pleasing community green space;
Strengthen the psychological health of the community by providing improved inter-neighborhood relations through shared goals, shared space, and the satisfaction that results from seeing a project to fruition;
Advance the economic health of the community through education and the marketing of skills learned, products harvested, and lower food costs.
.JPG)
How it Works:
Volunteers assist Urban Farm Manager Todd Niemeier and Outreach Coordinator Susan Pleiss with tasks related to growing, harvesting, and distributing produce or planning and hosting events such as field trips, cooking classes, and community meetings. Wooden farm tokens are earned for time spent, which are then exchanged for vegetables on weekly "Market Days."
2008 Market Day Outcomes and Statistics: Twenty Market Days were held during the 26 week period between May 12 and November 7, 2008, with 284 different households receiving vegetables at least once. Ninety-eight households came to Market Days 3 or more times. On average, we served 39 households per week although during one memorable 7-week period (July 11th – August 22nd) when the Market was held at Crescent Hall, we served over 60 households per week.
- 43% of Friendship Court households (65 of 150) came to our Market, making 212 total visits, an average of 3.3 visits over the season.
- 70% of 6th Street Public Housing households (18 of 26) came to our Market, making 53 total visits, an average of 3 visits over the season.
- 57% of Crescent Hall households (60 of 105) came to our Market, making 237 total visits, an average of 4 visits over the season.
Altogether, 64% of our Market Day visits were made by residents from these three neighborhoods surrounding the Garden of Goodness.
Although our primary goal is to increase vegetable consumption within communities with limited access to fresh produce, we realize it takes EVERYONE to make our garden grow, and all are welcome to participate!
Volunteer or join our mailing list! Please include your name and mailing address in the body of the message.